The Browns were being talked about as a legitimate contender last summer, but things turned out very differently. After going 11-5 and breaking their playoff drought in 2020, they finished up 8-9 in 2021. Things certainly weren’t helped by the fact that Baker Mayfield was playing through a torn labrum for most of the season. With that relationship left unfixable, they have moved on from Mayfield and enter 2022 with a new quarterback and renewed playoff hopes.
Offseason additions and losses
It is impossible to talk about the Browns’ offseason without mentioning the signing of Deshaun Watson. The move, which saw Cleveland ship three first round picks to Houston, understandably caused plenty of controversy. Watson has been the subject of 24 sexual assault civil lawsuits and two criminal lawsuits. The fact that the Browns not only traded for him in light of such serious allegations, but immediately made gave him a fully guaranteed $230m contract – the largest fully guaranteed sum in NFL history – was rightly criticised.
Outside of the Watson signing the team has made some really good personnel moves. They re-signed several key names, including Denzel Ward and David Njoku, and also brought back Jadeveon Clowney on a one-year deal. Their trade for Amari Cooper has to rank amongst the best moves of the offseason, only giving up a fifth round pick to land the four-time Pro Bowler.
2022 NFL Draft
| Pick | Player |
| 3.68 | Martin Emerson – CB, Mississippi State |
| 3.78 | Alex Wright – EDGE, UAB |
| 3.99 | David Bell – WR, Purdue |
| 4.108 | Perrion Winfrey – IDL, Oklahoma |
| 4.124 | Cade York – K, LSU |
| 5.156 | Jerome Ford – RB, Cincinnati |
| 6.202 | Michael Woods – WR, Oklahoma |
| 7.223 | Isaiah Thomas – EDGE, Oklahoma |
| 7.246 | Dawson Deaton – IOL, Texas Tech |
The Browns didn’t have a single pick in the first two rounds of the draft, so making an impact with their draft class was always going to be a tough ask. This class seemed to be about strengthening their depth at various positions. One player who could outperform their draft stock is Perrion Winfrey. He earned a reputation in college as a dynamic pass rusher and should get opportunities to cut it loose on third downs. Cade York will also be their starting kicker, having made 15 field goals of 50+ yards during his time in college.
Offense
The off-field controversy surrounding Deshaun Watson will no doubt impact opinions of this team, but from a purely football standpoint there is plenty to like about the Browns in 2022. When we last saw him play Watson was making a case for himself as a top five quarterback in the NFL. Whilst there is no guarantee he gets back to that form in Cleveland he gives an already solid team a big upgrade at the position. His suspension for the first six games of the season will be keenly felt though.
This adds to the team’s existing strengths. The Browns have earned a reputation in recent years for having one of the game’s best offensive lines and they led the NFL in adjusted line yards in 2021. The loss of J.C. Tretter is a big one, but the rest of the unit remains intact. They also continue to boast the best one-two backfield bunch in football. Nick Chubb is one of the best backs in the game and Kareem Hunt would be an RB1 on most NFL teams.
If there is one question mark surrounding this offense it is the receiving corps. The addition of Amari Cooper is sure to make a substantial difference, but there isn’t much in the way of proven talent behind him. As things stand, Donovan Peoples-Jones is set to be the team’s WR2, with third round rookie David Bell also likely to see some playing time. Both can contribute, but this is definitely a roster that would benefit from some added depth at the position.
Defense
On paper the Browns’ defensive unit is amongst the best in the NFL. They have arguably the best edge rusher in the NFL in Myles Garrett, whose 78 pressures ranked third at the position in 2021. Pairing him with Jadeveon Clowney, who had 53 pressures of his own last season gives them a truly dynamic duo. Newly acquired Chase Winovich should also add to the pass rush potential of this unit.
The Browns also boast a hugely impressive secondary. Their depth at cornerback is outstanding, with Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome set to start with support from players like Greedy Williams and Martin Emerson. They also have a talented pair of safeties in John Johnson and Grant Delpit. The defensive quality is topped up by the presence of second-year linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who turned plenty of heads in his rookie season.
This unit should give the team plenty of confidence and appears good enough to win games on its own. The only lingering question is whether Joe Woods can improve their run defense. This was the Browns’ achilles heel on defense last year. Whilst they ranked seventh in passing DVOA, they were ranked 23rd against the run. If teams found one area of weakness it was attacking the Browns’ interior defensive line. The addition of Taven Bryan should bolster the unit, but it still doesn’t match the talent at other positions.
Prediction
The announcement that Deshaun Watson will miss the first six games off the season has a huge impact on the Browns in 2022. Whilst they would be a true contender with him on the team for 17 games, they are now likely the third best team in their own division. There is enough talent at other positions to win some games with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, but the best they can realistically hope for is to be a wildcard team.
